Burglar proof window grille



April 14, 1970 c. M. QUINONES ETAL 3,506,056 v .BURGLAR PROOF WINDOW GRILLE Filed May 51. 196

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 CECIL SCH/ICKELTO/V 1 lP/Cl-MRD H WILL/HMS L INVENTORS CARLOS M. QU/NONES,

BY ATTUHVE 5 April 14, 1970 Filed May 31,, 1967 c. M. QUlNON ES ETAL BURGLAR PROOF WINDOW GRILLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 CA 4 5 CECIL 6 CKELTON RICHARD H. WILLIAMS A77'URNE .5

April 14, 1970 ETAL 3,506,056

BURGLAR PROOF WINDOW GRILLE Filed May 1967 s Sheets-Sheet s E a: as

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I INVENTORS CAR/.05 M. QU/NONES, CECIL SH/ICKELTON RICHARD H. WILLIAMS BY United States Patent 3,506,056 BURGLAR PROOF WINDOW GRILLE Carlos M. Quinones, Bronx, N.Y. (2601 NW. 115th St., Miami, Fla. 33167), Cecil Shackelton, 1154 E. 215th St., Bronx, N.Y. 10469, and Richard H. Williams, New Rochelle, N.Y.; said Williams assignor of six and twothirds percent to said Quinones and six and two-thirds percent to said Schackelton Filed May 31, 1967, Ser. No. 642,552 Int. Cl. E061) 3/92 US. 'Cl. 160160 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A window grille or ferry gate including a folding metal gate within a frame, the gate being pivotable out of the frame when folded, and the device incorporating a lock which is tamper-proof from one side of the gate but which can be easily opened on the opposite side by simply lifting a latch.

This invention relates generally to window grilles. More specifically it relates to metal window grilles of collapsible or folding type.

It is generally well known to those skilled in the art that an increasing number of window grilles are being installed during the present time in the windows of homes and city apartments due to the rising rate of crime, 50 to prevent the entry of burglars thereinto, it being recognized that while these grilles serve useful purposes, they also have certain inherent faults. In order to make these grilles burglar proof, they are usually provided with strong locks or sliding bars which require the uses of keys or tools to be opened, thereby making it time consuming and difficult for an intending thief to break therethrough from the outer side.

Likewise these grilles require relatively a fair amount of time for an authorized person from the inner side to open them in view of the necessity of manipulating keys in locks and sliding of bolt or bars through the structure. While this is not generally objectionable, it can become serious in the case of a fire within the dwelling or apartment, and the persons therein desiring to quickly get out through the window such as upon an outdoor fire escape located outside of the window. Usually under such time of stress and excitement, a key may not be quickly located, and the movements of bars may require too much time to get the grille opened in view of an advancing fire.

Such window grille that is designed to be diflicult to be opened by burglars now becomes a hazard when required to be opened instantly.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved window grille which incorporates self contained means to prevent a burglar from an outer side to gain access to a. grille lock, and yet wherein the grille can be instantly unlocked from the inner side without requiring any key or tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a burglar-proof window grille that incorporates a latch that is located in a unique place so as to be thoroughly unaccessible to a burglar yet be available at all times in a convenient place to a person on the inner side.

Yet another object is to provide a burglar-proof window grille wherein the latch is shielded from the outer side of the grille so to be inaccessible thereto.

Patented Apr. 14, 1970 ice Yet another object is to provide a burglar-proof window grille wherein the latch is of rounded configuration without any corners so to not permit the same to be hooked by any extending implement from the outer side.

Yet a further object is to provide a burglar-proof window grille which cannot be pushed in while on an extended position within a frame, but which is readily pivotable out of the frame when in a collapsed or folded position, thus allowing convenient access therethrough fior a person to escape outward of a window in case of a Other objects are to provide a burglar-proof window grille that is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and eflicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a window grille incorporating the present invention, shown extended and viewed from the inner side. I

FIGURE 1A is a fragmentary view taken along the line 1A-1A of FIG. 1, showing the cover in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof shown collapsed and in position to be pivoted outward of the supporting frame.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the parts comprising the latch assembly.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a modified form of the invention which incorporates a recessed latch handle.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the latch handle shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the latch mechanism used in FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 6, the reference numeral 20 represents a burglar-proof window grille, according to the present invention wherein there is a frame 21 and a foldable grille unit 22 that is supported on the frame 21, the grille unit being movable respective to the frame "between a fully extended and locked position as shown in FIG. 1 and a fully folded position as shown in FIG. 2 wherein it is pivotable outward of the frame.

The frame 21 comprises a rectangular unit including an upstanding hinge post 23, latch post 24, a horizontal base bar 25 and top bar 26, which are secured together at their ends to form square corners of the frame.

The base and top bars are each formed from a pair of angle irons 27 and 28 welded together to form a channel configuration. One of the angle irons 27 is relatively shorter in length than the other 28, thereby leaving a portion at one end of the base and top bars which is of angle cross sectional configuration.

Thus in the general appearance of the frame there is a notch 29 on the inner side 30 of the base and top bars to provide clearance for the grille unit to pivot outwardly of the frame, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The hinge post 23 comprises a singular angle iron to which one leaf of a plurality of hinges 31 are welded, the other leaf of each hinge being secured to the grille unit.

The latch post 24 comprises a latch mechanism and includes several elements illustrated in FIG. 6, and includes a channel 32 welded at its upper and lower ends to the top and base bars. A track 33, comprised of a pair of parallel rails 34, each having a groove 35, the grooves facing each other, is welded into the channel 32, as shown in FIG. 5. A latch bar 36 comprises a flat sheet member having parallel elongated, side edges 37 which are slidable within the grooves 35, the latch bar being provided with a pair of central openings 38 into each of which one end of a bolt 39 extends, the bolt being welded at its other end to the bar, as shown in FIG. 6. Several anchor plates 40 are secured across the edges 41 of the track 33, each plate having a threaded opening 42for receiving a screw 43 fitted through openings 44 in a cover plate 45 for enclosing the latch mechanism above described. The inner side 30 of the window grille, provides the channel 32 and the track 33 with Openings 46 and 47 respectively which are in alignment with each other to allow a latch handle 48 secured to the track, to protrude therethrough. The latch handle is of semicircular configuration so as to include no sharp projections about which burglar tools could be easily hooked so as to raise the latch mechanism. A U-shaped shield 49 is secured by a weld upon the side 50 of the channel 32 so to form an extending Wall upon three sides around the latch handle, thus further protecting it against being snared by a hook or other implement of a burglar who is otherwise unable to reach it.

The foldable grille unit 22 is of conventional sliding, foldable gate construction and is comprised principally of cross bars 51 arranged into two groups which cross each other and are secured pivotally free together by means of rivets 52 so as to form a rectangular grille 53 that is adjustable between the extended position shown in FIG. 7 and the fully collapsed position shown in FIG. 2. The grille 53 is supported upon a plurality of spaced apart, vertical posts 54, each of which is provided with a wheel 55 on a shaft 56 at its lower end to ride upon the base bar during adjustment travel of the grille between a fully extended and collapsed position. Each of the posts 54 includes a pair of channels 57 in spaced relation and troughs 58 facing each other, the channels being rigidly secured together by rivets, and the troughs forming tracks along which rollers 59 may travel, the rollers being mounted upon pins 60 used to secure pivotally free the cross bars together, all as in conventionally known, and is illustrated in FIG. 5.

One of the posts 54a secured to one end of the grille has the hinges 31 secured to one end of the grille and another of the posts 54b secured to the other end of the grille, has an edge plate 61 welded thereto, and a pair of latch hasps 62 are so welded thereto, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5. Each hasp has an opening 63 for receiving one of the bolts 39, the cover plate 45 having openings 64 so to admit the hasp therethrough.

A pair of leaf springs 65 are fastened by rivets 66 to the cover plate so as to serve as shock absorbing bumpers against the edge plate 60 when the grille unit 22 is slammed shut and to spring open the grille unit when the latch is lifted.

A relative large steel plate 67 of substantial thickness is welded along one edge to the inner side of the end post 54b so as to prevent access to the latch handle by a hand of an unauthorized person through the spaces 68 formed by the crossed grille bars 51.

A handle 68 is attached to the inner side of the grille unit so to conveniently move the unit between open and closed positions.

In operative use, the grille unit is in closed position with the hasp engaging the bolt in locked position, thus preventing entry from the outer side, through a window opening within which the frame 21 is mounted.

In case of a fire or other emergency whereby quick escape is desired outwardly through the window opening, a person needs only to raise the latch handle so to disengage the hasp and bolt, and then slide the grille unit into the folded position, shown in FIG. 2, after which the unit may be pivoted through the notches 29 out of the frame so to make a larger opening through which he may pass.

In a modified construction, shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the latch handle 70 is made recessed within the latch post. The latch is generally of block like configuration and has a central opening 71 for receiving a finger 72 of a persons hand. The recessed handle further aids in making itself inaccesible to a thief outside of the grille. The shield in the present modified construction may accordingly be eliminated.

A rubber bumper 73 may be mounted on the frame, below the latch bar 36 so to receive the shock of the latch bar if dropped, thus eliminating a loud noise of the latch bar striking the base bar, and also preventing a person getting a finger caught between the latch handle and the lower edge of opening 46.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as is defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a burglar proof window grille, the combination of a frame and a grille unit pivotally secured to, and slidable within, said frame between an open and closed position, the frame comprising a rectangular assembly formed of a horizontal base bar, a horizontal top bar, a vertical hinge post and a vertical latch post, the said base and top bars each being comprised of a pair of angle irons secured together to form a channel, with one of said angle irons in each pair being relatively shorter in length than the other so as to form notches on said inner side of said frame to allow clearance for the pivotal movement of said grille unit when in an open position, the hinge post comprising an angle iron provided with hinges to support the grille unit, the latch post comprising a channel, a track secured within said channel, a vertically slidable latch bar movable along said track and a cover plate for enclosing said slidable bar and track, means for engagement of the grille unit with the latch bar to lock said grille unit to said frame in a closed position, said window grille further having self-contained means for instantly unlocking and opening said grille unit from the inner side of said window grille, said last means being inaccessible from the outer side of said Window grille to unlock and open the said window grille.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said track comprises a pair of spaced apart, parallel bars each having a groove on facing sides, said latch bar comprising a fiat bar having parallel side edges that are slidable within said grooves, and said latch bar having a pair of central openings with one end of a bolt extending intermediate the sides of each opening, said bolts at their other ends being secured to said latch bar, a handle attached to said latch bar and openings in said channel and track to allow access for manual raising of said handle.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein said grille unit comprises a rectangular grille formed by two groups of bars crossing each other and secured pivotally together to allow extensive and contraction between said closed and open position, a plurality of vertical posts supporting said grille, the lower ends of said posts having wheels for riding upon said base bar when said grille is moved between said extended and contracted positions,

5 and hasps secured to said grille unit for engaging said bolts of said latch mechanism.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said grille unit includes a metal plate secured along a vertical edge to one end post of said posts so to prevent access through said grille to said latch handle, said plate being secured on the inner side of said grille unit.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein a U-shaped shield is surmounted around said opening providing access to said latch handle, and said handle is of 10 semi-circular configuration so to eliminate corners engageable by a hook or the like.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said latch handle is recessed within said opening and pro- 6 7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein a rubber bumper is secured on said base bar, for abutment with a lower edge of said latch bar when the latter is dropped.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 320,974 6/1885 Schreiber 160-159 596,327 12/1897 Henning et al. 160-159 688,590 12/1901 Butterfield 160-206 1,290,176 1/1919 Griffith 160-162 X PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

vided with a finger receiving opening so as to be manually 15 160-161 lifted. 

